President Barack Obama is outlining a deficit reduction plan Wednesday that calls for deep Medicare and Medicaid spending cuts, but through a stronger independent Medicare board and a new Medicaid funding formula rather than the structural changes Republicans want.

The rest of his plan relies on a number of cost-cutting devices — some new, some old — that avoid asking for sacrifices from nearly all of the seniors and low-income people who rely on the health care entitlement programs.

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POLITICO 44

Obama is setting a new goal of saving $340 billion in Medicare and Medicaid costs over 10 years, and $480 billion by 2023, with another $1 trillion in savings in the decade after that, according to a fact sheet released by the White House.

But he would do it in part by beefing up the Independent Payment Advisory Board, one of the least popular parts of the health care law among most Republicans and some Democrats — as well as provider groups that fear the cuts it would recommend. The idea of expanding the board is unlikely to gain traction in Congress any time soon, especially since it assumes that Republicans would end their efforts to repeal or defund the law.

He’d also move to a single federal Medicaid matching rate for the states, a change with uncertain implications for states, which now receive a variety of different levels of federal help.

Overall, Obama’s plan calls for reducing the deficit by $4 trillion in 12 years, backed up by a “debt failsafe” provision that would make across-the-board spending cuts if the debt hasn’t stabilized by 2014 — but not to Medicare, Social Security or low-income programs.

Obama hopes to use the new Medicare and Medicaid plans to draw a contrast with the Republican budget plan outlined by Rep. Paul Ryan, arguing that there are ways to cut spending without forcing seniors and poor people to pick up the costs.

But in doing so, he also rejected some of the biggest money-savers proposed by his own bipartisan fiscal commission, led by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, that would force Medicare beneficiaries to share any of the sacrifices — such as requiring seniors to pay higher deductibles and narrow the amount of costs that can be covered by Medigap plans.

He also refused to recommend raising the Medicare retirement age, another common feature of deficit reduction plans. “The president does not support raising the Medicare retirement age,” a senior administration official said during a conference call with reporters. That would be an unfair burden, the official said, on middle-class families that have fallen behind in their retirement savings because of the recession.

Cut the fraud and you can save that much in either program in one yesar. But onl oif yo uknow how and the government does not know how as they set the structure that easily allows for it. Government is unqualified to operate a health insurance program.

We the people have tried it your way. Now it's time to listen to THE PEOPLE you are supposed to be representing and do it OUR way. Either do it the right way or get out of the way so an adult can do it.

Because of Obama and "his way", seniors are losing their doctors because it is too expensive to see medicare patients. Doctors lose money on medicaid and no longer see them. Obamacare is doing the same to medicare. Great job Obama, you and your minions are killing the poor and now the old.

"A new poll finds support for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul at its lowest level since passage last year. Worries about government deficits that keep rising because of health care costs appear to be driving the numbers. The Associated Press-GfK poll showed that support for Obama's health-insurance expansion has slipped to 35 percent, while opposition stands at 45 percent, and another 17 percent are neutral. Among seniors, support has dipped below 30 percent for the first time."

as long as we point fingers and blame the other side we get nowhere. Nether party has done a thing to make things better. The president has shown very little leadership and what little he has shown is in direct opposition of what the majority of the public has been demostrating so publicly that it wants and dosn't want. The problem is each and everyone of these politicions have their own agenda and have put that first in how they get things done. They forgot why we elected them and now act like its a free lunch, (and it is because we do nothing and the press just feeds miss information just to sell stories). and we let them because were used to it now so much that it became the norm.

as long as we point fingers and blame the other side we get nowhere. Nether party has done a thing to make things better. The president has shown very little leadership and what little he has shown is in direct opposition of what the majority of the public has been demostrating so publicly that it wants and dosn't want. The problem is each and everyone of these politicions have their own agenda and have put that first in how they get things done. They forgot why we elected them and now act like its a free lunch, (and it is because we do nothing and the press just feeds miss information just to sell stories). and we let them because were used to it now so much that it became the norm.

Hey, Fool, you already did! What the heck is Obamacare??????????????????

Folks, if you want your children and grandchildren to have any money, start giving your money to them BEFORE you turn 65. Once you hit Medicare, you will have NO SAY in your health care - it's all going to be decided by the government. They starting it now. There will be no reason for you to have any money because you will not be allowed to spend it on health needs that you may desire. No matter how much money you have, as long as you are a part of this country's system, you will be told by a government panel your health care treatment. Obama's plan is "It Pays to be Poor" and there will be no reason to have any money past the age of 65.

In communist Moscow the bureaucrats had special lanes to speed to and fro from work. In communist Moscow the bureaucrats had exemptions and waivers from the health plans offered to the fine citizens In communist Moscow the bureaucrats had exemptions and waivers and could shop in the duty free foreigners shoppes while the citizens got to shop for local goods. In communist Moscow the bureaucrats could buy right and left shoes while the citizens got what came off the line. In communist Moscow the bureaucrats had vacation homes while the citizens could sit on the sidewalks.

Obama has us scheduled to be "regular old citizens" and is working hard at it.

Rich people brought us the Constitution Rich people brought us the Declaration of Indepenence

Rich people brought us FOOD Rich people brought us gas Rich people brought us coal Rich people brought us electricity and transmission lines Rich people brought us dams and cheap electricity Rich people brought us autos Rich people brought us computers Rich people brought us TOP RATE medical Rich people brought us Airplanes

"But he would do it in part by beefing up the Independent Payment Advisory Board"

This ""board" is all appointees and their job is to reduce the cost of medicare HALF A TRILLION $'s. Their cost reduction "recommendations" have the immediate weight of law and can ONLY be reversed by legislation.

To obtain this HALF A TRILLION REDUCTION in medicare costs they will determine "effective" treatments and "ineffective" treatments. Sounds good, BUT

The standard for "effective" treatment will be Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY). Put simply, this means that IF the "benefit" of a treatment, measured in years of life extension or improvement of quality of life, is NOT cost effective, the TREATMENT WILL NOT BE COVERED through Medicare.

Think that little gem through for a second or two. Especially, you seniors looking for a bypass at 85, or parents of chronically ill or disabled kids.

For special insight into the possibilities, consider these words from Zeke Emanual (Rahm's bro and former health advisor to odumbo):

He says medical care should be reserved for the non-disabled, not given to those "who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens ..

An amazing statistic It also indicates how badly education has failed us It also indicates how strong the liberal media is It also indicates where the possible level of illiteracy is Compare that to the 85% of San Franciscans that voted Obama and Pelosi

The numbers sort of fit pretty well I wonder how it compares to Detroit, Chicago, Newark?